Your last generator Maintenance Run

[ultrarunner]

I've had a 1800 watt invertor on my service van since 1990 and so far so good.

Leaned I need to keep some load on it when operating thing like the chop saw or air compressor to prevent it from going into sleep mode.

A large draw in sleep mode means I need to turn off and on to reset.

Keeping my 60 Watt Trouble Light On prevents sleep mode and uninterrupted operation...

To power I added an RV battery with Isolator and continuous duty solenoid to link both batteries and 130 amp alternator when I run the sewer cable machine...

 

[Fallon]

True, you would need to move up to a contractor model to get 240v in a portable unless you spend big $ for a large inverter unit.

But not having everything crammed into a suitcase style unit does bring the cost down... you can get a 5500W Yamaha for around $1100 and it will outlast just about anything. For inverter units you’re into the 6kW and $3k range to get 240V. For $1400 you get into 7kW range with electric start which seems more appealing to me as I get older.

Honda has the name but the Yamaha’s are very high quality and have the longest EPA engine life ratings in the industry. When I worked with these (several years ago now) most of our contractor customers that run theirs 50 or 60 hours a week who had these had given up on all the other brands they had and only bought Yamaha. Same could probably be said for other brands too but that was what I saw.

Ya, if its gonna be big bucks & not portable it's not gonna be worth it I expect. The tractor burns a gallon an hour doing heavy mowing so presumably less loafing at PTO speed. That's a worst case fuel bill of $70 a day if we were to run it non-stop, which we wouldn't. With probaly under 24 hours of power outage in the past 5 years & only flickering during this bomb cyclone this week it's not likely to be a long duration issue.

I could justify $1-1.5k if I could easily lug it around & camp with it. But if not i may as just gamble that the potential tractor fuel bill will be way less.

 

[grsthegreat]

my old $400 coleman 2400 w generator is over 25 years old. still runs good. and it runs full out 3,600 rpm. no hour meter, but it has had a hard life of work. The newer Briggs & Stratton 6,500only has about 10 hours on it, and is 4 years old. starts within 2 pulls every time. I was just given a Westinghouse 7500 W PROPANE generator from a customer. has 5 hours on it. He just didnt want it. Insisted that i take it at no cost as i always have helped him when he needs it. Not sure why i need a 3rd portable, but will keep it around to loan out if and when the power fails in the future.

 

[3930dave]

my old $400 coleman 2400 w generator is over 25 years old. still runs good. and it runs full out 3,600 rpm. no hour meter, but it has had a hard life of work. The newer Briggs & Stratton 6,500only has about 10 hours on it, and is 4 years old. starts within 2 pulls every time. I was just given a Westinghouse 7500 W PROPANE generator from a customer. has 5 hours on it. He just didnt want it. Insisted that i take it at no cost as i always have helped him when he needs it. Not sure why i need a 3rd portable, but will keep it around to loan out if and when the power fails in the future.

What goes round, comes around...... that guy appreciated what you've done for him in the past, and demonstrated that in a meaningful way. Says something about both folks.... :thumbsup:

Nice thing about propane is it's not easy to screw up fueling or storage (meaning as a loaner, not re. you grs )..... great addition to the collection !

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Ya, if its gonna be big bucks & not portable it's not gonna be worth it I expect. The tractor burns a gallon an hour doing heavy mowing so presumably less loafing at PTO speed. That's a worst case fuel bill of $70 a day if we were to run it non-stop, which we wouldn't. With probaly under 24 hours of power outage in the past 5 years & only flickering during this bomb cyclone this week it's not likely to be a long duration issue.

I could justify $1-1.5k if I could easily lug it around & camp with it. But if not i may as just gamble that the potential tractor fuel bill will be way less.

Easy to see how some of us end up with more than one generator...... .... comes down to right-tool for the job.....

Light-weight is handy...... my old smaller Coleman has factory wheels on it, but it's often convenient to pick it up and carry it by myself. My larger portable.... you'd need to be a powerlifter to one-man that one as deadweight.

Depending how you camp (truck, van, utility trailer....), a basic sturdy ramp can allow you to one-man roll a larger portable unit onboard. I've done it with my 7kw, by myself...... but it's more weight than some people could safely handle.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I've had a 1800 watt invertor on my service van since 1990 and so far so good.

A large draw in sleep mode means I need to turn off and on to reset.

Nicely designed; good capability and power matching. :thumbsup:

Not an issue for you (since you pay attention..... ), but some people would get bit by that Sleep consumption current........ some of the newer inverters have lower Sleep current draws, but you still need to turn 'em Off !

Rgds, D.

 

[TheMan419]

Ya, if its gonna be big bucks & not portable it's not gonna be worth it I expect. The tractor burns a gallon an hour doing heavy mowing so presumably less loafing at PTO speed. That's a worst case fuel bill of $70 a day if we were to run it non-stop, which we wouldn't. With probaly under 24 hours of power outage in the past 5 years & only flickering during this bomb cyclone this week it's not likely to be a long duration issue.

I could justify $1-1.5k if I could easily lug it around & camp with it. But if not i may as just gamble that the potential tractor fuel bill will be way less.

And it will be. Because you will use the inverter you have to keep the house warm and the fridge cold. Only need to crank up the tractor when you need water. So fill a couple buckets to flush the toilet. Crank up the tractor when it is shower time.

 

[Semper Paratus]

What goes round, comes around...... you helped the neighbour, and the family knows you are someone who can give that gen the TLC it needs in a new shop.

It's amazing how affordable complete carbs have become..... plenty of people seem to have good results with them, for not much money...... sometimes gaining available adjustments too....

Always nice to have a spare gen around.... When Things Go Wrong...... if nothing else but to loan to someone who needs it.

Fridges/freezers will stay cold for a while, they don't need power 24hrs/day......

If you think of it, please post up what carb you bought, and how things worked out with it.....

Rgds, D.

The good thing is with the new carb it started on the first pull. I bought
https://www.ebay.com/usr/kmotorwholesale2008?_trksid=p2047675.l2559
is the carb for less than $14.00.
Now the down side:Neither the linkages included in the kit nor the oem linkage eould fit through the plastic linkage locking bushing pivot installed on the carb. The other hole punched in the quadrant was way too small for the linkage arm. As I fought with it I broke the plastic locking device. The locking device on the old linkage would not work either. Off to Advance Auto after a stop at Auto Zone and talking to a counterman that had never worked on a carburated auto, to pick up a blister pack of linkage clips for $7. After tweeking the smallest linkage clip with the needle noses i was able to get the linkage to both move freely and stay hooked up. In addition I had to install a different choke lever than the one installed on the as shipped carb. Fortunately they gave me the correct one....
As noted above once I checked oil and temporarily installed the gas tank the engine started on the first pull. However it did not sound right, kinda slow. So I took my meter and checked the frequency...49.8 to 50.1. Must have been set up for a European 50 Hz generator. First of all I am glad my new $30 meter had frequency functionality and I adjusted the stop to get 60 Hz +/- .2 hz which netted a no load voltage of 123 to 125. Plugged a couple of light loads and got the expected spin of a drill and drill press. I was too lazy to go dig out a 1500 watt space heater.
The bottom line is be prepared to adapt and over come if you buy the Chinese stuff. I was not willing to spend 10X the cost on a OEM carb for a unit I was not sure was electrically functional or frankly for any reason. The OEMs need to get their heads out of the dark smelly tight fitting places and provide us with reasonably priced repair parts so we don't have to use knock offs to be able to afford to fix stuff.

 

[3930dave]

The good thing is with the new carb it started on the first pull. I bought
https://www.ebay.com/usr/kmotorwholesale2008?_trksid=p2047675.l2559
is the carb for less than $14.00.
Now the down side:Neither the linkages included in the kit nor the oem linkage eould fit through the plastic linkage locking bushing pivot installed on the carb. The other hole punched in the quadrant was way too small for the linkage arm. As I fought with it I broke the plastic locking device. The locking device on the old linkage would not work either. Off to Advance Auto after a stop at Auto Zone and talking to a counterman that had never worked on a carburated auto, to pick up a blister pack of linkage clips for $7. After tweeking the smallest linkage clip with the needle noses i was able to get the linkage to both move freely and stay hooked up. In addition I had to install a different choke lever than the one installed on the as shipped carb. Fortunately they gave me the correct one....
As noted above once I checked oil and temporarily installed the gas tank the engine started on the first pull. However it did not sound right, kinda slow. So I took my meter and checked the frequency...49.8 to 50.1. Must have been set up for a European 50 Hz generator. First of all I am glad my new $30 meter had frequency functionality and I adjusted the stop to get 60 Hz +/- .2 hz which netted a no load voltage of 123 to 125. Plugged a couple of light loads and got the expected spin of a drill and drill press. I was too lazy to go dig out a 1500 watt space heater.
The bottom line is be prepared to adapt and over come if you buy the Chinese stuff. I was not willing to spend 10X the cost on a OEM carb for a unit I was not sure was electrically functional or frankly for any reason. The OEMs need to get their heads out of the dark smelly tight fitting places and provide us with reasonably priced repair parts so we don't have to use knock offs to be able to afford to fix stuff.

Thanks for posting the details.

Perhaps wishful thinking on my part..... I haven't seen 100's of replacement-carb posts, but many seemed to bolt right up - lots of those posts weren't as detailed as yours though.... Possibly you pareto'd into the 20% of the "problem children" out there.....

Low-cost carb + scrounged parts + fettling time = Done. I wouldn't have paid for the OE part either....... probably blew up more of your day than planned, but I would have been happy beating a manufacturer at their 1) Buy An Overpriced Carb, or 2) Buy a new Generator game..... Good skills to have, esp. spending time on the water, or in any other moderate/high-risk location.

I was chuckling at your counterman comment.... time does fly along..... I don't call myself a Carb Guy, but I can change a float/seat if I need to. Getting to be Lost Art....... I know one polymath working mechanic (actually a bit younger than I....) who's still a wiz with carbs..... built stock cars for a lot of years, so is used to tuning high performance carbs, and is great with MC carbs too..... but that level of knowledge is rare today.....

Congrats on a well-played fix...... I sometimes complain about China Inc, but w/o that low-cost option, and the internet, a lot of equipment would be idled/scrapped.

Rgds, D.

 

[daugen]

have the longest EPA engine life ratings in the industry.

this sure caught my eye. Where does one find this information?

from my reading it appears there are 300 hour engines, the disposable non rebuildable low end stuff,
thousand hour rated/marketed engines, and then ?. The latter being the Kawasaki's, Hondas, Yamaha's, etc.
Maybe even Subaru in the last batch except
they got out of the small engine business recently.